Jorunna pardus Behrens & R. Henderson, 1981

Jorunna pardus

No field photograph submitted for this species yet

Description

Body oval to elongate, with the dorsum covered in caryophyllidia about 170 µm long, distributed homogeneously across the mantle. Eight tripinnate gills form a circle around the anal papilla, and there are 14 lamellae in the rhinophores of a 35 mm preserved specimen. Background colour is creamish yellow with prominent dark black spots scattered over the dorsum, often resembling a leopard pattern, while the gills and rhinophores are dark brown. Some specimens show dark spots around the foot margin. Oral tentacles are bifurcate or have up to four prolongations.

The radula has hamate inner and lateral teeth lacking denticles, with outermost teeth bearing denticles in many specimens. The labial cuticle is smooth, without jaw elements. The reproductive system features an amorphous accessory gland with a distinct sac containing a copulatory spine about 1.15 mm long; penial hooks are absent.

Distribution

Eastern Pacific from Southern California (Channel Islands) south to Sacramento Reef, Baja California, Mexico. Found on rocky substrates from 5 to 18 m depth, both intertidally and subtidally.

Etymology

The specific epithet pardus is Latin for "leopard," referring to the leopard-like dark spots scattered over the dorsum.

Remarks

Jorunna pardus resembles the widely distributed Indo-Pacific Jorunna parva in its strongly spotted dorsum but differs in having lower caryophyllidia, a different rhinophore colour, and distinct radular morphology. It is the only confirmed member of the genus from the temperate eastern Pacific. A genus-wide revision later confirmed its validity, noting that the presence or absence of denticles on the outermost teeth, as well as the bifurcate or multi-pronged tips of the oral tentacles, can show intra-specific or ontogenetic variation.